Potion of Hope
by Antiquee
Summary: Made for a challenge I was given 5 pictures to create a story of. 1 was the Knave looking injured, then the Knave toasting, Emma's crib, the Storybrooke clock tower with purple smoke magic and lastly Emma and Jefferson after Emma is drugged and Jefferson catches her. Summary: Will helps Jefferson through a rough time.


**Title:** Potion of Hope  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count:** 1406  
**Characters:** Will, Jefferson, Emma (sort of)  
**Pairings:** None 

Will Scarlet didn't have many friends but ever since coming to Wonderland he'd found a few more, and being a friend of Will Scarlet was a very special thing indeed. You see, friendship was very important to Will. Along with being in love with Anastasia, he had a friendship with her and she broke the bonds of that friendship, which was something he wouldn't ever forget. Now he had Alice, Lizard, and even the Mad Hatter, who preferred his given name Jefferson. When Alice needed a new sword, Will didn't ask questions he just helped her procure one from the Queen of Hearts armory. When Lizard needed to know who to go to for a deal, Will led her to the Caterpillar. Will wasn't sure what he could do for Jefferson, he knew he wanted a way home, he knew he wanted his daughter but the binds that kept Jefferson in Wonderland couldn't be broken by Will. What Will could give Jefferson was something anyone could use, hope.

After striking a deal with the Caterpillar Will found out about a potion that would show the future. Caterpillar said he'd need to go the heart of the woods and mark an x on a tree. Although it sounded simple Will knew it couldn't be, nothing was ever simple in Wonderland. As he reached the heart of the woods he readied himself for whatever would come after. He pulled the dagger from its sheath and carved an x into the tree. The tree began to rise higher into the air and where there once was a trunk was now a growing staircase. Will took the first two steps slowly, the tree seemed stable so he took two more steps. With every step the tree grew higher. Will barreled up the steps faster and faster until finally he reached the top. Will wasn't sure what he expected to find when he reached the top of the tree but it wasn't this.

"A bloody blue bird?"

The bird cocked its head and looked at Will. "Well excuse me… you're the one who came barking up my tree."

"The Caterpillar sent me. I came for the potion."

"Which one?" The bird questioned, "The potion for love, the potion for luck…"

"The potion to see your future."

The bird hopped to the side, "Ah- that potion." He flew to the edge of the tree trunk and looked at Will. "In order to acquire that particular potion you need to take a test."

"A test huh?" Will asked, the Caterpillar hadn't said anything of a test. "Alright. What's the test then?"

"Jump."

"Seriously?" Will asked looking off the edge of the tree. "You want me to jump off the tree? You do realize I'm not the one with the wings right?"

"This is your test."

"This better be worth it Hatter." Will muttered to himself. He took a deep breath and jumped. He wasn't sure if it was illusion, maybe the tree never really grew—maybe he had fallen through a portal. What should've been a long drop was just a few feet. Will landed on his back quickly but the impact still knocked the wind out of him.

The blue bird landed on his chest. "Congratulations you passed."

"That's it huh?" Will asked in pain. "Jump off a tree, land on your arse and you get to see the future?"

"The test was the jump. If you were to use this potion for good you'd have fallen just as you did, although if you were to use this potion for bad then your fall would've been much worse."

Will struggled to get up, "No wonder Caterpillar was so eager for me to come here. Probably thought I had a thousand foot drop to the ground."

The bird landed at the base of the tree, "The potion is just inside the notch in the tree. Good day." The blue bird flew off.

"Thanks Blue." Will said digging his fingers into the notch and pulling out a vial.

On the way to Jefferson's Will wondered what his friend might see after drinking the potion but whatever it was he saw he wanted it to give him hope. "Jefferson?" Will asked upon entering, he found his friend frantically working over a new top hat. "Can't get that one to work either my friend?"

Jefferson glanced up and scowled, "Nothing is working, it never is working. The fabric isn't working. The hat isn't working!"

"It's alright Jefferson, I brought something that might help." Jefferson's head perked up in interest. "Why don't you get us a cup of tea and we'll talk it over."

As Jefferson gathered the tea Will pulled out the small vial, "I know you've been down for a while Jefferson and as you're friend I can't see you doing this to yourself. I asked Caterpillar for a favor and I think I got something that'll give you a little hope." Jefferson placed the cups of tea on the table, "You see this potion? It shows you the future. Honestly, I'm not sure what it'll show you but I hope it's going to be something good." He placed the potion on the table and picked up his tea cup and raised it. "Cheers mate. Your future is in that vile."

Jefferson picked up the potion, "Where did you get this?"

"A little bird told me."

He uncorked the vial and took a sniff, "Ugh it smells."

"No one said the future smelled good, just drink it up."

Jefferson put the vial to his lips and tilted his head backwards feeling the liquid go down his throat. He put the vial on the table and looked at his friend, "When does it—"Jefferson fell backwards onto the chair. The room went bright and he shielded his eyes from the light, a women approached him. "Who are you?" He asked trying to get a better look at her. She was average height, blonde, and wearing a red leather jacket.

"I'm your guide." She said, "I'm here to show you the future."

"Who are you?" He asked again.

She looked down at her body, "This is just a reflection. I chose this appearance because it's important to you."

"Important to me? I don't even know who you are."

"But you will." She said simply. She pushed her hands from left to right and the room changed. He was standing in a nursery.

"Where are we?" Jefferson questioned.

"This is where it begins."

Jefferson ran his finger across the unicorn mobile, "My future is a baby? I don't want a new baby, I want my Grace. Just Grace. Show me her." He pleaded.

Ignoring him she continued, "The girl who this room is for will never get to spend a night here. A curse will rip this world apart, plucking people from all sorts of worlds into a little town." As she said this the scene changed and Jefferson was standing in the middle of a road. A purple cloud billowed through the town and up towards a clock tower. The clock struck 8:15 and stopped. "Time will stop here. For 28 years you will live in a house down that road, waiting."

"I've already been waiting. Stuck in Wonderland. Stuck in this town. I want to go home! I want my daughter!" He cried. The scene changed again and Jefferson saw himself and the same woman in a room. "What is this? Who is she?"

"She's the savior. She is the baby born in the Enchanted Kingdom and thrust into a world with no magic. She needs help remembering."

Jefferson saw himself catch the woman as she fell, "What does she need help with?"

"Breaking the curse. She will save you, save this town. She will lead you to Grace." Jefferson saw himself looking out the window and joined him, there he saw his Grace.

"So let me get this straight, a curse will pluck me from Wonderland bring me here where time will stand still for twenty-eight years until this woman comes to town and I need to help her break the curse?" The images around him started to fade. "Wait! Is that it?" He asked. The bright light flashed again and Jefferson found himself back on his chair.

"How'd it go?" Will asked. "Did you find the future you were looking for?"

A smile broke across Jefferson's face, "I found it."

"What'd you find?"

"Hope."


End file.
